Trolley railway signal system



July 19,1932, s. s. STOLP ET AL TROLLEY RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed June 25, 1928 INVENTORS.

7 ing a much safer control system asherein Patented July 19, 1932 TE I STATES" j SAMUEL s. VSTOLP ANDEFRANK nrcmrnnxnssmc, OF.LOTIISVILLE,- KENTUCKif'AS 1 SIGNORS rro NACHOD a TINITEDISTATESSIGNAL co., INC.

TB Y RAILWAY SIGNAL .sfr r M Application filed J Fne 25,

()iir invention relates to electrically operated signals primarily intended for use on railways having electrically operated trolley" cars wherein the motive current i s'sup plied' by means of a traveling current collector;

It is the object to prodnce a' signal system which is automatically controlled by the movement of the car.

One object of our invention'isto prod ice a system that Works irrespective of the car using power or not, the system as hereinafter described.

Another object of our invention is to provide a system that will employ trolley contactors ofthe normally closed type providafter more fully' disclosed Another object of our invention isto pro- Vide a system in which independent cooperating 'means are employed to afiect the: displaying ofthe signalindiclati'ons.

' Another feature of our invention is to prog vide a safe control system embodying relays and circuit of mu h simpler nature than heretofore used in, combination with eleotrically controlled tro'lley cars. This feature is highly desirable for production and serv ice. 7 a

Our invention resides in a new and novel combination; the construction andrelation of various electrically operated,switclies,cirwits and other parts hereinafter more frilly described and disclosed-in the drawing. I

In the "drawi fication: r I V,

Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing di'sclosin'g the general principles involved employ-' ing normally closed"trolleycontactorsj v Fig. 2 is aschematic drawin'gshowingthe arrangement of parts and circuits of the; fsy's tern in a normal condition of a modified cuit developed along thefsame principls nvolved in Fig. 1,}but affording a greater do gree'of safety and protection." 'Thesef principles of safety and protection aretakencare of in the -disclosure of our invention. l

' Our invention isintende dprimarily with; use of those cars which areo'perated by means; of an overheadtrolley wheel or' ci1rrent Golf lkector W mounted onthe" car by'nieans of a deflecting strip A which is to'be engagedby 192s. Serial no; 288,133. 7

trolley pole P, although it maybe operated by cars in which current is Supplied thereto by other means, such 'as a thirdrail' andi'a shcecurrent collector. In the system shown d in Fig. I,' the letter T'represents a trolley lamp L1.;'lhe other normally closed p tactorC that we employ is similar tofSfan'c l" I i h s a mecha l defl c ng r p 'D rr ng a contact arm E secured theretoc'airr'y j ing the contact Jr, and is connected to the trol-I tact 7 is normally making contact en-gag ment with contact 8 which isconnected to the normally open back contact 10 of relay by wire9. The'normallyenergized con trol relay R that we employ is eqiiippje d with an operating coil RS and a-rmati re" li,"and* two 'insnl'atedfnormallyj open back: [contacts 1 l0 and 11. Onecoil terminal of coilRS is connected tolarnp 'Ll fby wire 3a, theotlief coil terminal ofcoil R is acommoii connect- 7 pointff'or wires andf l; wire; 5 connecting"the arinature F of relay R and 4 connecting the resistance init RU, the other terminal of resistance unit RU being' connected to the grciind G by wire "6. The normally open backcontacts and 11 of any; R m sed in displaying thefsignal L wh n the arinatnr'e is r'e-lfeasdi'. in control-j ling the deenergization of thecoil RS of re lay R, contact 11 being connectedto thefslig nal lightsL by wire 12fback contact *1;0be- I in connected to contact- '8'of the" normal y cldsed conta'ctorfC by wire 91 lWhGIl the ci irrent colleotorpf trolley 'W engages the normally closed trolley con- 55 i r I fl'position shown bythe dotted lines E1,dis-

tactor'S, the deflecting strip A is raised into theposition A1 shown by the dotted lines A1,

which in turn, effects a movement of the contact arm Bto the position 131, as shown by the dotted lines B1, and normally closed j contact 1 disengages contact 2 andmoves to the position shown by 1a. This movement effects ail-opening of the circuit of the coil openingrthe normally closed'circuit of the @011 RS1of relayR that'was, established through contacts 1 and 2 feeding from the trolley conductor B, through flexible wire 14, contact arm B, contact-1 contact 2,-

wire 3, lamp L1, wire 3a, coil RS of relay R, wire a, resistance unit RU, Wire 6130" round G. The opening of this circuit deenergized thecoilRS and the armature F was released 1 and fell into contact engagement 1 with the normally open back contacts lO-and 11, and a shunt on the coil'RS was established feeding from the normally closed contact C,

feeding from trolley conductor T, through I wire 15, contact arm E of trolley contactor' VG, contact 7' of trolley contactorC, contact 2 5 i 10 of relay R, armature F of relay R, wire 5,

8 oftrolley contactor C,- wire 9, back contact wire l, through resistance unit RUto ground Gr through; wire 6. Instant to the establish- 7 ingof this circuit a second circuit was established from the 'nor'mally 'closed contactor' C feeding from the wire 9, as heretofore described, throughback co'ntact'lO of relayR,

armature F, baolr contact 11 wire 12, through signallightLywire 13.130 ground G, and the signal lights L were'displayed. As soon as the current collector IV disengaged'the noiinally closed trolley contactor S it was restored to'its normal position and contacts 1; V 'andf2 were brought into contact engagement but no circuit could be establish'ed through the coil RS as it remained shunted by the circuit feeding from the normally closed trolley contactor G, thus thearmature F remained in its assumed released position and the signal lights L7 continued, to display. After the current collector 'W traveled a cer-' tain predetermined distance as regulated by the-'existin o eratin conditions wherein the signal system mightbe employed, it came into engagement with trolley contractor G.'

the normally closed As soon as; the current collector W engaged the normally closed trolley contactor, the 'defiecting strip D was raised to thedotted position D1 as shown,

and'the. contactarm 13- was moved to the engaging 'the normally closed contacts 7 and 8Ibymoving the contact 7'to the position through; wire 15,

V i j- 'shownby i'a, Theiopening of thisi'circuit' remoyed-the shunt on thecoil RS of relay B thatfed from, the trolley conductor R.

7 contact 8, wire 9, back contact 10 of relay j r V R armatureFof relay R,.wire 5, wire 4,"re-

sistan-cevunit BU, wire ,6 to ground'G, and

series objection of the syst contact arm contact 7,-

the coil RS of relay R was immediately en-' t ergized by a flow of current feeding from the normally closed trolleycontactor S, feeding from the trolley conductor T through wire 14, contact arm B, contact 1, contact 2, wire' 3,

signal lamp Ll, wire 3a, coil-RS ofrelayiR,"

wire 4, resistanceunit RU,*wire .6 to ground i G, and the armature F was raised and removed from contact engagement with .the

back contacts lOand .11, opening the circuit ofthe signalflights L, established through the contact 10. Instant to the establishment of the circuit through the coil RS of signal,

lamp L1 was displayed thereby restoring'the i system to a normal operating condition .It

for the current collector IV to makeelecs.

trical contact engagement with strips A and D respectively to elfect'the desired operation closed contactor being for the establishment V ofthe feeding circuit to effect an energization' of the, coil and the othernormally closedt r'ol-i ley contactor being used to provide a shunt; for the coil RS only after its armature has beenrelease d 'to effect. a deenergiz'ation of thbbilt. a, L In Fig.12' the relay system, is amplified" so that a greater degree of flexibility and safety" I mightibe obtained. ,The principles involved in'the contac-tor circuit describedlin'Figjl being still retained withthe "exception that a em as "shown in Fig. 1 is overcome; that is, it will be noted by reference to Fig.1 that 'if the signal is. s'et'v and the coil BS is shunted'by thepath feeding from the normally closed trolley 0on5 tactor C through wire '9, an openingof this' circuit wouldrender thesignal cleared and.

the desired cautionj or danger signal would a be removed whereinrif this same'condition would exist n the system disclosed and described in Fig.2, no change wouldio'ccu'r in" the signal indication'until ajcomplete cycle i had been completed at the-"clearing contactor"; 7 that is, an intermittent opening and sub sequent recl'osing of the; circuit. i

In the system: shown in F'g; 2 sep'arate'and independent means areemp'l'oyedin'the trol-w 7 hey contactor and the signal'circuits to pro duce the separate desired operations although they have distinctively interlockedo'perating I functions, relay R" of 'thefsystem being .con

trolledby the nor ally;c1 s'ed"tr011ey conv eet d e y 'beiing'" controlledfby lay'RS to control'the displayi 'f th ig lights. 'The-operatingcoils of relay; Rand, "relay N. have independent feeding'sour'ces but a common return through the resistor EU to ground a circuit forlthecoilItS;

7 80 will be noted that it was not a requirement oom-so o-frelay B being established through contacts l and 2 of the normally closed contactor S,

teeding from the trolley conductor T through flexible wire 19, contact arm B, contact 1, contact 2, wire 3, coil RS of relay R, wire '7', through wire 4, resistance units RU to ground G, through wire 6. A circuit for the coil NS of relay N being established from the normally closed contactor C throughcontacts. 22 and 23- feeding trom the trolley conductor T through flexible wire 20, contact 1 arm: E, contact 23 eon-tact 22, wire 21, wire 11, coil NS of relay N, wire 10, front contact."

8' of relay R, armature F of relay R, wire at, resistance u-nits'RU, Wire 6to ground G.

It will benoted .that the signal lamps L1 and L have an independent control and feed},

as shown in the drawing, the control being the armature Fl of relay N and the separate f eedbei ng established from the trolley conductor T through wire 5, armature Fl of relay N, norm-ally closed front contact 12 of relay N, when the armature is in the raised position, wire 14, signal lamps L1, wire 17, wire 18 to ground G. Whenthe armature F1 of relay N is released it will make contact engagement with the backcontact '13 and the: signal lights L will be displayed, a circuit being completed: from the trolley conductor T, through: wire 5, armature F1 ofrelay N; back contact'1'3 of relay'N, wire 15, s1gnal" lamps L, wire 16, wire18 to ground G. It

will be noted in the control system, when the system is in the set condition, coil BS is shunted by a feed from the normally closed trolley contactor C, and the circuit of relay NSof relay N is opened by disengagement ozt armature F of relay R and the normally closed front contact 8 of relay R.= a 7 When the current collector W engages the a normally closed. trolley contactor S', the de-'- fiecting strip A is raised to theposition shown by A1 andthe contact arm B is moved to the position shown by B1 and the-contact 1 disengages the contact 2 and; moved to the position shown by la. The opening of contacts 1 and- 2' opened the feed circuit 'for the normally energized control relay'R by opening the feed that fediirom the-trolley conductor T through flexible arm} 13, contact 1, contact 2, wire 3,

, coil RS of relay R, wire 7, wire 4, resistance unit RU, wire 6 to'groun'd G and the coil RS was cleenergized and: the armature -F- was released and brought out o-tcontactengage- Y ment with the front contact- 8 of relay R,

relay R wire-4, resistance" units RU, wire 6" to ground G. The releasing'ol armat'ur'e li of relay R, opened the-ground return circuit for coil NS of relay NthatQw-as completed through; armature F of relay R, and front Contact 8 of relay R, and armature. F1 of relay N was released and-brought into contact engagement With'back contact 13 of're'lay I N, thereby removing the signal light' ind'icaa tions L1 thatwere displayed by the circuit that was completed thro'ug'hyarmatnreFlf of relay N, and fron-t'contact 12 of relay. N, and the signal lights Lwere displayed by-a circuit being. completed from the trolley: conductor T, through wire 5, armature Fl of'relay'N, "back contact 13 of relay N,wire, 15,; signal lightsL,"wire 16,wire '18,- to ground As soon as the current collector W disengaged the trolleycontactor S, contact 1 returned into contact engagement with the contact-2, but

no circuit was completed at this point as the 001]. RS of relay R remained shunted by the "feed: that was established from the normally closed fconta'ct'or C through, the back contact 9 and armature F of're'lay "After the Gun rent collector had traveled a certainprede term ned distance as is regulatedzby lZh'QGXlSting conditions, wherein the signal system anight be used',l i-t came'into contact engage Vment with the and the deflecting strip Dwasraised into the normally closed contactor 0,

position shown by D1. Themovem'ent of the deflecting strip 13' caused a movement of the, contact arm E shown by the position E1, and sengagement oft-he normally closed con tacts 22 and 23*was effected by 'a'moyem'ent adi of contact 23 to the positionyshown by23a, The opening of contacts 22 and 23, removed the shunt-of coil RS of relay RS was energized by a flow of current from V the normally closed trolley contactor S, feed ing from the trolley conductor T through flexible wire 19, contactarm B, contact 1, contact 2, wire 3, coilRS of relay R, wire 7',

wire 4, resistance unit RU, wire 6 tofgroun'd G, and the armature F of. relay R was re moved from contact engagement withth'e back contact '9 and broughtinto contact engagement with thefront contact 8. It'willbe noted at this point thatthe armature F of relay R was brought-into contact engagement with the front con-tact 8 thereby completing the ground return for the coil NS through contact 8 and armature F, but thecoil NS of, i

C, holding-the feed. circuit for coil NS open.

'As soon as the current collector W disengaged I the normally closed trolley contactor'Qhow-f engage-1' ever, contact'23 returned into contact relayrN was not energizedand'no change in the signals displayed resulted-,,due to the 'fa'ct that the current collector WV continued'to engage the normally closed trolley c'o'ntacto'i men-t with c0ntact22- and the feed circuit for 1 coil NSof relayNwasestablishedby a flow of current from the-trolley con'ductoruT, through flexible wire 20;. Contact arm. con':- I it o tact23, contact'22, wire 21, wire l1, coil NS of relayN, wire 10, front contact 8 of relay R,

which will: still armature F of relay R, wire 4, resistance unit RU, wire 6 to ground G, and the armature F1 was removed from-contact engagement with the front contact 120i relay N, and brought into contact engagement'with the front cone tact 12 of relay N, thereby removing the indication of signal lights L and eifecting a display of the signal lights fLl by' the establishinent of a circuit "feedingfrom the trolley conductor T, through wire 5, ar-

mature 3' F1, front contact 12' of relay N, wire l4, signal lights L1, Wire 17',wire 18 to ground G. The restoring of the r'elaysN and .R to the normal condition, placed the system ina condition wherein afollowing car would receive *theproper indication and be able to operate the relays in the same manner 7 as heretofore described.

There are, otcourse, modifications andarrangementsof the parts which may be made from that shown in the abovedisclosur'e and fall within tl e scope of our invention. c 1

We claim :I

1. In an electrically operated si nal system for an electric railway,1comprising a trolley Y conductorya Current collector, a source of. current, normally closed circuit trolley con tactors haying electrical="ircuits associated therewith, and a 'circuit ncluding a plurality of signal lamps arranged to display desired signal indications, said contactors being so arranged. as'to be mechanically engaged by a current collector, control relays; l'lfGCtQCl by the openingof-the said trolley contactors, each relay'being provided with an operating coil and a trol e 'contactor 'nieanswhereby one group of signal indications are displayed when one contactor circuit is opened and retained displayed until another one of the said i trolley contactor circuits is opened and sub-;

sequently closed.

2. In an electrically operated signal system for an electric railway, comprising a trolley conductor, a current collector, a source ofcurrent, normally closed circuittrolley contactors having electrical circuits associated therewith, and acircuit including a plurality otsignal lampsfarranrred to display desired signal 'indications, said contactors bein so -arran 'edas to'be inechanicall engaged" by acurrent-collector, control relays responsive to the opening of the said trolley contactors, each relay being provided with an operating coil and a trolleycontac'tor, one res lay to be controlledihy .a trolley contactor to aflect a second relaycontrollingithesaid signal indications:

l 3;} In "an-electrically operated's'ignal system" for an electric railway, comprising 'atrolley conductorfacurrent collector; a source of current, normally clo'sed c r cu t' trolley-i contactors' l aving electr cal circuits associated therewith, said contactors being-so arranged as to be mechanically engaged by a current collector, control relays responsive to the operative.

4. In an electrically operated signal sys 7 ing oi thesaid tr being provided 'with an operating coil'and o'lley contactors, each relay;

"tern for an electric railway,coniprising a trol ley conductor, a current collector, a source of current, normally closed circuit trolley contactors having electrical circuit" associated therewith, saidcontactors beingsoarranged i as to be mechanically engaged by a current V collector, controlrelays affected by the open a trolley contactor, said relay coils having: ndependent teeds'ources from each respec-' tive trolley contactor and prov ded with a common ground return thru a resistor, means affected thru one of the branch, feedstoretain the contactor control relays de-energ zed.

5. In an electrically operated signal system for an electric railway, comprising a" trolley conductor, a current collector, a source v of current,- normally closed circuit trolley contactors having electrical circuits associated therewith, said contactors'being so arranged as to be mechanically engaged by a current collector, control relays affected by.

the opening of the said trolley contactors, e achrelay being provided with an operating coil and a trolleycontactor, said relay coils having an independent feed and a cominon ground thru a resistor, means' 'aiiected by one of the branch feeds to retain the contactor:

control relays de-energized until the said feed -connection has been opened and subsequently closed, wherein thesignal control relays will be restored to their-normally energized condition.

foo

"6. In an electricallyfoperated signalsystem V.

tor anelectric railway, comprising a trolleyconductor, current "collector, a source'of current, normally closed circuittrolley con-- tact'ors having electrical circuits associatedtherewith said contactors bein so arran ed as to be mechanically engaged by' acurrent 5 collector, normally energized control relays,

one of said relays aiiected' by the opening oi /the said 'trolley'contactors to control a second relay, each rclayibeing equipped with V a coil and an'armature operating betweencontacts, n canszwhereby one "of said relay ncoi'ls' is energized throughheavy current flow-when its. armature isin the dc-energized position and a l-esse'rcurrent flow when its armature is in. its energized position.

N 7, In an electrically operated signal systein for an electricirailway, comprising trolley conductor, a current collector, a source of current, normally closed circuit trolley contactors having electrical circuits associated therewith, said contactors being so arranged as tobe mechanically engaged by a current collector, a plurality of signal lamps, electrical circuits th-erefor,'normally energized control relays affected by the opening of the said trolley contactors, one relay to be controlled by the trolley contactors to aflect a second relay controlling the said signal indications, means operative to retain the first said relay deenergized througlithe application of a shunt after one of the said trolley contactors is engaged.

8. In an electrically operated signal system for an electric railway, comprising a trolley COIldllOtOl,'&- current collector, a source of current, normally closed circuit trolley contactors having electrical circuit associated therewith, said contactors being so arranged as to be mechanically engaged by a current collector, a plurality of signal lamps, electrical circuits therefor, normally energized control relays affected by the opening of the said trolley contactors, one relay to be controlled by the trolley contactors to affect a second relay controlling the said signal indications, means operative to retain the first said relay deenergized through the applica tion of a shunt after one of the said'trolley V contactors is engaged, and means to restore the said relay to its normal energized condition when another one of the said trolley contactors is engaged.

9. In an electrically operated signal system for an electric railway, comprising a trolley conductor, a current collector, a source of current, normally closed circuit trolley contactors having electrical circuits associated therewith, said'contactors being so arranged as to be mechanically engaged by a current collector, normally energized control relays affected by the opening of the said trolley contactors, each relay being provided with an operating coil, armature and a trolley contactor, said relay coils normally having independent feed sources from each respective trolley contactor and provided with a common ground return through a resistor,means affected by the armature of one of the said relays to include the operating coil of another one of said relays when energized.

10. In an electrically operated signal system for an electric railway, comprising a '"trolley conductor, a current collector, normally closed circuit trolley contactors,a'nd a circuit including a plurality of signal lamps arranged to display desired signal indications, said contactors being so arranged as to be mechanically engaged by a current collector, a control relay affected by the open-' ing of the said trolley contactors, means whereby one signal indication is displayed when one contactor circuit is opened and retrolleycontactor circuits is opened, i i all. In an electricallyoperated signal system for an electric railway, comprising a contactor, a current "collector, normally closed circuit contactors, said contactors b.eing so arranged as to :be mechanically engaged: by a current collector, a pluralityflof normally closed 7 circuit a controlling contactors, a plurality of signal lamps, electrical circuits therefor, said contactors being so ranged as. to be mechanically engaged by the moving vehicle, control relays allected by the ppeningof the said contactors, each relay being provided with an operating coil and a contactor, means whereby'one signal indicagtained displayed until another oneof the said tion is displayed when onecontactor circuit is opened and retained displayed until'an other one of the said trolley contactor circuits is opened. a V- 13. In an electrically operated railway signal system, comprising a movingvehicle, normally closed, circuit controlling contactors, a plurality of signal lamps, electrical circuits therefor, said contactors being so arranged as to be mechanically engaged'by the moving vehicle, control relays affected by the opening of the said contactors, each relaybeing provided with an operatingcoil and a contactor, means whereby one signal indication is displayed when .one contactor circuit is opened and retained displayed untilanother one of the said trolley contactor circuits is opened, and subsequently closed.

14. In an electrically operated railway signal system, comprising a moving vehicle,

normally closed circuit. controlling contac-,

tors, aplurality of signal lamps,electrical circuits therefor, said contactors'beingso arranged as to be'mechanically engaged by the moving vehicle, a control relay affected by the opening ofthe "said contactors, means wherebyone roup of signal indications'are displayed when one Icontactor circuit is opened and retained displayed until another one of the said contactor circuits is opened and subsequently closed. I I

15. In an electrically operated railway signal system, comprising a moving vehicle, normally closed circuit controlling contactors,

said contactors being so arranged as to be actuated, by the moving vehicle, control relays responsive to the opening of the said contactor circuits, each relay being provided with an operating coil and a contactor, one

relay to be controlledby the contactors to afiect a second relay, said secondrelay being so arranged that an open of any circuit'in the control circuit will render said relay inoperative 5 v r 16. In anelectrically operated signalfsysstem, comprising normally closed controlling switches having a circuit including a plurality of signal lamps arranged to display desired signal indications control'relays affectedby the opening of the said switches,

each relay being provided with an operating coil and a controlling switch, means Whereby one group of signal indications are displayed when one-controlling switch circuit is intermittently opened and retained displayed 'nntil another one of the said controlling switch circuits isIopened and subsequently closed.

I In testimony whereof we aflix our signaturesr SAMUEL ssToLP.

- FRANK H. RIGHTERKESSINGQ 7 

